Things I don't like about the Mondial

Well, the t is significantly more complex than its older siblings.

 

A lot of it are true for the tr as well. The windows thats an easy fix, the gearbox being cold i feel like its part of the charm, the headlight strength at night i totally agree


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These are all true, but I feel the charm outweighs the hate.
There’s something special about this car, and it’s unlike any type of special I’ve experienced before.
I’ve been burned by incompetent wastes proclaiming to be professional Indy technicians and have basically spent double if not triple of what it should cost to own and run a Mondial t. Still, there’s more love than hate for this car...except for those seatbelt mice...I really hate those little f******


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The only thing I dislike about mine and I mean the only thing. There is no graceful way for an old fat guy to get in and out of it. I think I have heard people laughing.

 

100% valid list.

Took my wife and our 3 YO out tonight with the top down and her (3 yo) giddiness and asking to "go faster" trumps all these items and more. Items (and more) are true but thats not why I or most or even you have one in the garage. When our little one is no longer interested or willing to ride in it all these factors will carry more weight and it will be time to move on. But for me personally at this moment my mondial Cab could not be more perfect even with these and 20 additional disparaging attributes.

 

Just how low is the T and how prone is it to scraping? Can you clear a rain curb on a driveway usually? Curious myself since I'm getting ready to pick up my new ride this weekend

 

100% true and yet all relative, IMO. Here was my initial response to reading each item on your list....

1) Very true. They are expensive cars to own. But comparatively less so than others. Of course your t is more costly to service then my QV.

2) I never consider the back seat in a 2+2 a real backseat, except for my dog. So I have no expectations in that respect. I'd never try to put a human back there. That said, my brother and I used to squeeze in to the backseat of our QV cab back in the 90's when we were teenagers. I feel the same way about the 456, although I think they have a bit more space?

3) Windows are definitely glacial in pace. I haven't bothered to have them fixed yet. Not a big deal to me.

4) I don't know what this is? My seat belts seem fine. What are "mice"?

5) This might be controversial, but on the freeway I can get about 20mpg out of the car. But on the other hand, I didn't buy a Ferrari for it's mpg rating.

6) I guess the headlights are dim by modern standards. Not so much that I ever noticed it myself while driving.

7) Roof doesn't leak on mine. Buy a coupe, Paul!

8) I've never noticed the knee bolster thing. I'm 5'9" and don't have an issue getting in or out.

9) It is funny and slightly embarrassing having to explain to passengers that your dreamy sports car needs to be shifted from 1st to 3rd until it "feels" like shifting into 2nd. Lol.

10) I've also never had the scraping issue with this car. Are you on lower wheels? I'm on the original metrics with TRX's and clearance is ok for me.


My one main gripe is that it's an older car so things just go wrong from time to time, and you just have to get used to it. But that would apply to all older cars, I think. I have been knocking around the idea of getting a 360 to keep in CA for when I'm out there, and one key concern is that I want to be able to just get in and drive, even after letting the car sit for a while. Would feel very confident doing it with a 458. Don't know how possible it is with a 360. Would make me even more nervous with an 80's car, for sure. On the other hand, back east we all let our cars hibernate for half the year and it's usually fine.

I have also considered adding an EZ power steering unit to the Mondial and setting it for like 15mph, just to give my chronically injured shoulder a break while fitting in and out of tight parking garages. The joys of being in your 40's!

 

Quite low, even more so that '97 M3 with coil overs. If the rain curb is like a normal speed bump, then you can clear it usually by going very slow or at a proper angle. I hate driveways with rain curbs, but that's a personal problem

Yes the 2nd gear thing is annoying, but I've discovered that burping the throttle just before moving the gear shift into 2nd will reduce the effort quite a bit. And of course once it's warmed up, it's fine.

 

I actually don't mind it personally. Feels more like a charming quirk that only "insiders" who drive older Ferrari's understand. And yeah, it's only the first 10 minutes at most. But there's always "that guy" or "that girl" who is looking for something about the car to roll their eyes at, and the 2nd gear thing always pleases them to no end. Haha.

As I understand it they can fix the 2nd gear synchro in these cars now, but I've never found it necessary to bother with.

 

I have a QV, so some of those things don't apply to me (i.e. mice).

The only thing that irks me is:

1. Seems like some of the mechanical design was done without much thought -- wedging an alternator between a hot cylinder block and the exhaust header?
2. This is more a personal flaw -- as I get older (and perhaps wider), it gets tougher and tougher to get hands down into small spaces when working on the car.

Other than that, I love the car, flaws and all, and I enjoy working on her.

Sid

 

Hmmm, lets see, things that aggravate me about my Mondi (there is nothing I don't like):

1. The trunk situated behind the engine and over the exhaust pot gets too warm for me to carry my wine back there. Although it does do a great job of keeping my bbq ribs warm on the way to a picnic.
2. The upper left part of the speedo dial is sort of hidden behind the wheel and kind of in the dark up in there so I dont really know how fast I'm going between 80 and 100 kph, so I just have to drive by the tach. Once you get over 110 and the needle starts to stand up straight its not a problem.
3. The sun roof opens and closes slowly but I just help it with my hand or keep it closed,
4. Sometimes there are expenses but those included changing to Redline tranmission oil which eliminated the 2nd gear problem, cleaning the window mechanisms of 30 year old grease and now they work, changing the fuse board which solved electrical gremlins and changing head lamp bulbs to more powerful ones (though still not up to most standards). Other than that it is pretty normal maintenance and repair costs of any older car that is being driven.
5.......I'm thinking, I'm thinking.......Oh yes. It takes at least a half hour for the smile to leave my face after returning from a drive!

Luckily, I dont have those abominations of many 80s cars with the seatbelt operated by a tracking mechanism (the mouse) that repositioned the seatbelt every time you opened the door. That would likely have been a deal breaker for me when buying the car if it had them.

 

1. I have slightly larger wheels/tires, but speed bumps and curbs can be an issue. Go slow and/or take them at about a 45 degree angle.
2. Mice seatbelts showed up with 1990 and later. The 1989 t's and earlier 3.2's etc. do not have them.
3. I used Redline and 2nd is still balky when cold. Just rev to 3500 and drop it into 3rd. At least on the t, you don't miss the gear. By the time oil temp gauge starts to move, 2nd gear responds nicely.
4. On highway trips just cruising, I can do about 24 mpg. Couple has a big 95L tank (vs. 85L for the cabs) so mpg and range not an issue.
5. Better bulbs in the headlights help. So do clean/polished lens. But way easy to outdrive your lights at night.
6. Getting in and out takes a little concentration. Not that hard as long as you have room to swing the door open.
7. Window speed is decent, prior owner must have addressed this.
8. Rear seats (at least in the coupe) are small for seats, but make a great storage space. Long flat area can hold plenty after you flip the seat backs forward. I have made many a Costco run!!

The only issue I can think of is a lot of reflection on the dash at night from the dash lighting.

Most issues can easily be addressed. Biggest issue for cabs may be the water integrity of the top. Check the rubber seals.

Yeah, I HATE this car......................

Regards,
Jerry

 

Ah, ok the "mice" are a newer thing. What are they? I guess I'll google seatbelt mice and see what pops up.

Glad to hear someone else can pull 20+mpg on the freeway. Even a lot of Ferrari guys laugh when I tell them that!

 

Here is a video my kid and I made of the Mice (jump to 4 minutes in)... My only complaint about the car are the Engine ECU connectors. I'm constantly chasing down bad contacts.

 

You would likely benefit from the SRI Gold Connector Kit. It's my understanding that the engine ECU connectors were designed for 5 or so connections whereas the GKC is designed for over 100.

 

We have the SRI fuse box upgrade which is great! However, I'm considering swapping out the entire ECU system for something modern. If I don't do that I'll go gold.

 

Nice! Dave’s products are top notch and I’m confident the GKC cures the inherent electrical gremlins our cars are known to have.


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a) front passenger's position too forward (due to 2+2 and mid-engine layout)
b) small and offset pedal area, better not wear the hiking boots and readjust posture when exiting
c) reflection of dashboard in front glass (maybe because of the angle). It's more than with other cars
d) too many of those magnet release doors. Common...a button to touch that has to be found somewhere else to release the tiny glove compartment door?
e) refers to d)....no outside lock for the trunk. I am doing everyday errands with this car. So instead of holding onto the shopping bag with one hand and nestling the key into the lock with the other... I have to put it away, unlock car with key, find trunk release button, then journey there
f) as with a...the reach for the seat belt is quite something...because of that forward position layout

Plenty of good stuff otherwise, but since you asked,

Cheers
Paul

 

y


My issue with the "mice" isn't the annoyance, it's the visual appearance. They just look really silly when you are not actually driving the car.

IMHO

Joe

 

The parts supply for some items like the liquid float sensors and rubber seals are a pain.

Also the cost of TRX tyres...

 

Hi ,

The rear power window motor's are already stuck and need to be pulled / pushed up or down when trying to operate them. One of the motors was replaced 3 years ago and they are very expensive .
How I wish the soft top was easy to put up & put down ( My FIAT 124 Spider Soft top was so easy to put up/ down , the rear window goes up / down when soft top goes up/down) , & installing the boot cover is a chore as well specially if the boot leather shrunk . My sister's Mondial had the canvas boot as well and it was hard to button/install as well.
I dont usually put the top down of my Mondial because of the hot/humid weather here in the Philippines but it sure looks good when the soft top is down.

Best regard,

Luigi

 

My #1 complaint about the Ferrari Mondial is....

The limited number of 3.2 Coupes imported into America.

Joe